Friday, February 22, 2008

Frugal Friday.....Using Free Food

My best advice for today is that if someone offers you free food, take it. Even if you don't know what you're going to do with it, even if it's something you don't like, even if it looks like this bag of fruit, TAKE IT! On Valentines Day, we had a chocolate fountain at work for the residents to dip fruit and cookies in. Afterwards, there was this bag of fruit that they were just going to throw away. I said I would take it and I am glad I did. I ended up peeling the apples and making apple crisp (left) and then mushed up the bananas in the bag and used them to make banana bread (right). Before that day, I would have told you that I don't like banana bread. However, when it came out of the oven and I tasted it....mmmmm! I will be trying that recipe again. I believe both recipes came out of the Betty Crocker Cookbook.

The five strawberries in the bag were part of our breakfast. Nothing went to waste.

Now you may be asking "why would I take food that I don't like"? Well, it can be pureed and put into something you do might like. It could be pureed and added to your kids waffle or pancake mix (I'm thinking fruits and vegetables here, not lasagna- ha ha).

God provides for our needs in all kinds of ways, and I think this is one we often overlook. Some people don't feel comfortable taking "free" food or "other people's leftovers". Once you get over those thoughts however, you will find yourself blessed beyond measure. Now when people are looking to to get rid of some food or send some home after a party, they know I'm open to taking leftovers.

11 comments:

Oh have you read the Tightwad Gazette? It tells you a ton a ways to reuse leftovers.Quiches, muffins, etc.Also a tip which I am sure my grandma did was to take the butter wrappers and save them and use them to wipe the inside of your pans for greasing! I prefer butter over any other oil anyways for cooking (its better for you really) . I just store them in the a ziplock bag in the fridge as I go along.Yummy looking crisp.

Kellie...my rule was to NEVER eat food that students gave me, Always took it but we had a no eating in the classroom policy so take and dispose of, every once in a while I could trust things that could not be tampered with..not often. Then again, I taught a different population then you do.

People throw away lots of good things. I sometimes worry about being the moocher, but I also try to make a point to give so that I'm not always the one taking. I think it makes people feel good to give too. I get food at work, from my parents, from family get togethers, etc.

Yep, Lura is the take home left overs person! In fact, at family gatherings we all make sure we don't eat all of the food JUST so Lura can take some home. We say "oops, better not take too much, Lura needs some to take home with her". Left over pizza, pickles, olives, birthday cake, soda, oranges, apples, bananas, potatoes, liquor... you name it! She takes it home. ;) Can you tell I miss you today Lura?!!!!